


Backy and the Beast

by MeansToOffend (goodmorning)



Series: 31 in 31: NHL Fairy Tales [30]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M, Washington Capitals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 17:13:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12258621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodmorning/pseuds/MeansToOffend
Summary: "When he turned back to the gate, his heart sank, not only because it had closed behind him, but also because it was now guarded by a large and savage Beast, covered in grey-brown fur."





	Backy and the Beast

There was once a hockey player who had been well-renowned, but he had grown tired of the constant travel, and so settled down in a little cottage in the country, where he mentored young hockey players. His name was Nicklas, but his students called him Backy.

Once in the late fall, when Burky and Kuzy were his only two pupils, Backy had to travel into town for new skates, for the kids were growing taller by the day, and his own skates were becoming worn. So he admonished them to be safe and not kill each other, and asked them if they wanted him to bring anything else back with him.

“Snow,” Kuzy said.

“Snow?”

“We want to know winter’s on the way,” Burky explained, and they looked so sweet that Backy couldn’t help but agree.

“If I see any, I’ll bring a bit back. I can’t promise it won’t melt on the way, though.”

Backy made the trip without incident, and was on his way back, when he remembered the kids’ snow. He kept his eyes peeled, but though there had been some small flurries, the snow had not yet begun to stick. But, at last, he came upon a large house with a walled garden, and in the deepest shadowy corner the snow had gathered. When Backy called out, there was no answer, though the gate was ajar, so he crept in and scooped a handful of snow into his empty thermos.

When he turned back to the gate, his heart sank, not only because it had closed behind him, but also because it was now guarded by a large and savage Beast, covered in grey-brown fur.

“Why you come here? You hear is monster, you want look, laugh?” he demanded. His voice was low, and gruff, and he sounded angry. It should have been terrifying, but Backy was made of sterner stuff, and it only put his back up to be accused of something he didn’t do.

“I just wanted to pick up a little snow for the kids I teach,” Backy sniped right back, and the Beast looked somehow surprised.

“Then I not kill,” he finally said. “But you or kid must come here to stay forever. I give you three days.”

“Fine,” said Backy. “Then you’d better get out of my way.” And he pushed past the Beast.

When he returned home, Burky and Kuzy were excited to see him, and their skates, and especially the snow, but were quickly horrified when Backy told them about the Beast.

“Is our fault,” Kuzy said.

“Yeah, it should be one of us who goes,” Burky added. But Backy refused to let them.

“I’ve been around and I’ve lived a life,” he said. “I won’t have either of you give yours up for me.”

At the expiry of the three days, he still held firm. Packing his things, he returned to the home of the Beast. 

“You come here yourself?” the Beast asked mildly, gesturing for Backy to sit down at a long table, covered over with fine, savoury dishes. 

“I did,” Backy replied, “and if I’m going to be living here with you then I’ll need a name to call you by.”

“Beast,” responded the Beast. “And you?”

“Backy.” And, with that, he tucked in to the feast.

As the weeks went by, Backy began to settle down in his new life with the Beast. In his explorations of the Beast’s home - sometimes with shaggy grey accompaniment, sometimes alone - he discovered plenty of excellent diversions. From the extensive library, to the stables, to the indoor rink, his days were reasonably full and lively. But the best times came when the pond in the garden froze, and the Beast himself took hockey stick in hand and joined Backy on the ice.

They spent many happy days like this, until the Beast turned to him one night and asked, “I still scare you?”

“You never did,” Backy replied, petting his head absently and turning a page.

“Backy, I want…” the Beast began, and sighed. “Marry me?”

“I don’t think you get to ask me that,” Backy said. “I’m stuck here, after all. That doesn’t exactly make for a healthy relationship.”

“Oh,” said the Beast. “You want go home? Go, then. I not need you here.”

“That’s quite enough sulking. I never said I don’t like you or that I don’t want to be here. But it’s true that I’m worried about my students. Could you possibly spare me for a week?”

“And you come back after?”

“Of course.”

“Then yes,” the Beast said, and they resumed their silent preoccupations.

Backy departed the next day, and when he reached his cottage at last the kids didn’t believe their eyes. It took him saying, “Get your skates on, show me what you’ve learned,” for them to truly be convinced, and then they were racing to lace their skates, scrambling to take the ice first. 

The three of them spent every day on the ice, and Backy was at last convinced that they would be alright without him. As the week wound down, therefore, he began to relax in a way they had never before seen. Unfortunately, this turned out to be somewhat distracting, and as they drilled together on the final day, there was a problem.

Backy was struck in the head by a wayward shot.

When he awoke, his two pupils were arguing over whose fault it had been. In between their cries of blame, though, Backy managed to gather that he had been unconscious for nearly a full day.

“I have to get back to the Beast,” he said, and though they tried to get him to lie back down, Backy set out as quickly as ever he could.

When he returned home the Beast was nowhere to be found, though he was not small and Backy searched every room. At last, however, he made his way out to the garden pond, and there found the Beast in a heap on the ice.

Backy wept, at this, for he felt it was his own fault the Beast had been caused this heartbreak. “Oh, Beast,” he said, “I’m so sorry,” and the Beast opened his eyes one last time.

“At least I can see you before I die,” he said, sighing.

“You’re not going to die,” Backy said. “You have to be well, so you can marry me, and that’s that.” And, so saying, he placed a kiss on the end of the Beast’s nose.

There was a swelling of magic, and a bright light, and a noise like a siren, and a man lay on his back on the ice. His hair was shaggy and grey-brown, and a tooth was missing from his wide grin, but when he spoke there was no doubt that he had been the Beast.

“You still marry me, even though I look like this?” He sat up, exaggerated pout on his face.

“I’m not a furry, if that’s what you’re asking,” Backy retorted. “But who are you really?”

“I am prince, once, named Alexander. But you call me Beast, still, if you want.”

“Shut up, Alex,” Backy said, and grinned, helping Alex up. “In that case, you can call me Nicke.”

“Nickyyy,” Alex whined, draping himself over Backy’s shoulders.

“Yes?” 

“I love you, you know,” he said, in a more serious tone than he had usually managed.

“I love you, too,” said Backy. “Now get off me so we can go in before you freeze to death.”

And they were married, and the kids came to live with them, and they all lived happily together forever after.

**Author's Note:**

> \- Initially this was going to be a HoltBeast story, but it worked out easier this way? Also Nicklas Bäckström is kind of the best.  
> \- Hockey is back tomorrow!


End file.
